Block-o-Clock: How to Order a Martini
The martini has very few ingredients, so it’s all about taste and preference! Kraig Weaver, The Block’s co-owner and head distiller, shares the proper technique for ordering a martini at our bar. Whether you like it extra dirty with olives or wet with a lemon twist, here are some simple ways to get exactly what you want the next time you’re in the tasting room.
Vodka or gin?
When ordering, the first question that a bartender is going to ask you is whether you want vodka or gin. Gin, a flavored vodka, ranges substantially especially when it comes to the offerings at The Block. One thing to keep in mind is that you really want to like the botanicals in the gin before ordering it in a martini. For example, our Spring Gin is more citrus-forward with hints of rose, chamomile, and hibiscus while our Autumn Gin has chai spices like cardamom, nutmeg, clove, and allspice. If your goal is to go dirty, you might want to opt for spring or summer.
Shaken or stirred?
We’ve all heard the classic, “shaken, not stirred” order by a certain suave, handsome spy but what does that really mean? A shaken martini uses a tin shaker with ice. The vigorous shaking results in a very chilled martini but also breaks down the ice diluting the spirit (creating a lower ABV). A stirred martini is made in a yari with ice. The result is a more gentle approach to the spirit with less dilution and less chill. Overall, you need to ask yourself what’s more important: temperature or spirit flavor.
Dry or dirty?
Dry refers to the integration of vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine that is flavored with botanicals - flowers, seeds, herbs, and spices. The more vermouth in your martini, the more herbaceous notes. The most common offerings are dry or white vermouth although a dessert martini might use sweet vermouth.
Dry = ¼ oz vermouth
Extra Dry = rinse of vermouth
Wet = ½ oz vermouth
Dirty refers to the addition of olive brine, liquid in a jar of olives. It will add salty, umami flavors to your martini. At The Block, we go with a one-to-four rating with one being for those that like a little brine and four being for those that say “roll me in the mud with the pigs and hit me with a bunch of olive juice” (a direct quote from Kraig).
Up or rocks?
Not only does this refer to the type of glass, but it also comes down to your personal preference - to chill or not to chill. Up comes in a stemmed martini glass that is shallow, wide, and very sexy. If you witness someone that walks across the room with a full martini and doesn’t spill a drop, you know they’re a professional martini drinker. Since it doesn’t have ice, the base spirit will start to shine more as the drink sits and warms up. The rocks option comes in a standard rocks glass with a big cube. It will keep the drink cold longer and promote more dilution over time depending on how long you take to drink it.
Garnish
The last and final element of a martini is the garnish. The garnish all depends on your answer to the question of dry or dirty. If you choose dry, you’ll be given a beautiful twist of lemon with hints of citrus oil. If you choose dirty, you’ll get two olives that double as a pretty tasty snack.